Strain
by Allie Kaye
Summary: Nick and his sister ahve a great bond. But there is something that might strain that. Its up to them both to fix it.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I wrote this story out of plain bordom. So I hope you like it.**_

Nick walked up the familer pathway to the home he grew up in. The yard was dark, but the single porch light was left on illuminating the steps. It was quiet and he could hear the crckets chirping in the woods beyond the house. Having a few days off he decided to make the trip to visit his parents. His siblings were all grown and had their own families now, except for Jolie. Jolie was is seventeen yearold sister. And a secret between Nick and herself, she was his favorite. For some reason they just got along better than any of his other brothers or sisters.

After knocking he heard footsteps from the other side nearing the door and soon it swung open with his mother standing in the doorway

"Nick!"

She wrapped her small arms around her son. His mother, Jillian, had the most welcoming smile, something Nick got from her genetics, along with her eyes and hair.

"Miss me?"

"SO much, you couldn't understand. Come in dinner is almost done, your father is in the tv room."

"Where's Jolie?"

"Oh I sent her to the store. She got her license a few days ago."

"She's driving? Watch out Texas!"

He walked down the hall of the big house and found his father watching the national news on CNN.

"Hey there Cisco."

"I thought that was you Poncho."

After shaking hands, Nick took a seat on the couch next to his dad's recliner. His dad wasn't much for conversation, never been that kinda guy really. Nick sat there with his dad watchng a report on the tornados that occured a few states over, leading officals to declare a state of emergency. During this Nick's eyes were fighting to stay open, sitting in the dark room wasn't helping either. He guessed all the sleep he missed out on while working was catching up with him.

"Nick wake up dinner's ready, and mom made her greenbean casserole so you better git while the gittins good."

Nick jerked his eyes open seeing his sister standing infront of him, he didn't realize he fell asleep. He always thought her accent was slightly thicker than anyone elses in the family

"When did you get home?"

He asked as he stood streching

"About a half-hour ago. Mom didn't want me to wake you up until dinner was ready. And where's my hug?"

He reached for his little sister who looked so much like their mother it was scary. Hugging her he noticed how skinny she was, he could feel the bones in her back.

"Come on you two, your dad is hungry and I don't think he'll wait much longer!"

Their mom called from the dinning room. They walked together to the dinning room that they used only when they had a reason, such as family and sometimes friends of their father's from work.

"SO Nick anything interesting in Vegas?"

"Well its Vegas"

He laughed

"But you're eating well, taking care of yourself?"

"Yes Mom."

Nick thought it funny because no matter how old he gets his mom is always going to ask that question. Jillian handed him a plate filled with vegtables, a steak and a loaded baked potato. Besides his family this is what Nick missed the most, home cooked meals.

As he cut into his steak a took a bite he looked over at Jolie, who didn't have much on her plate at all.

"Aren't you hungry Jo?"

"I ate something earlier, so not really."

He noticed the worried look Jolie got fron their mother and his father did the same. Dinner went quietly as everyone was eating, Nick occasionaly glanced at his sister seeing her eat the smallest bites of something. He didn't want to say anything else, but this was not like her at all.

Soon after Jillian stood along with their father and turned to the youngest

"Jolie will you clear off the table and put the dishes in the washer please?"

"Yes Mam"

"I'll help you Jo"

"No Nick you're here to visit, not do chores."

His mother scolded

"Its ok, I miss spending time with my little sister so I'm gonna help."

"Ok, just come in the lvingoom after your done."

"Yes Mam."

Jolie stood up picking up the plated and carrying them into the kitchen with out saying a word to Nick. She knew he wanted to talk to her and he never let anything go. Nick picked up the silverware and cups following behind her. She scraped off the plates into the trashcan, hers having the most on it.

"So Jo you wanna tell me while you're not eating?"

"What are you talking about? I am."

"You forget I can read people, and know when they're lying."

"I'm not lying Nick."

"Yes you are! Your eyes get really big and your voice gets an octave higher, kinda like what your doing now."

She turned from him and began setting dishes in the washer, also stcking the pots and pans in too. She didn't look his way the rest of the time that they were in the kitchen, afterwards she went up the stairs to her room.

"Nick could you come in here please."

He walked into the tv room, where the tv was actually off for a change and lamps were on. Jillian was sitting beside Bill with a worried look on her face

"We could hear you in here. What were you two fighting about?"

"Mom did you notice that she didn't eat anything during dinner? And she's hardley anything but bones?"

"Yes Nick, we've noticed. I've taken her to a doctor and he just said its because she's been working and been busy alot since she graduated highschool. But we don't think so."

"Yeah me neither."

"We just don't know what to do."

His father spoke up in his deep voice

"She's gotten more agressive latley too."

"Yeah I figured that out, its not like her at all."

"But, if you coud talk to her again. Maybe she'll open up. But we're going to go to bed now, see you in the morning dear."

She kissed Nick and left the room, followed by his dad. Climbing the stairs to the guest room he heard music floating from Jolie's room. Knocking softly on the door he got no responce, he opened the room to find her curled up asleep on her bed. He smiled when he saw a familier stuffed animal not laying far from her sleeping figure. It was Sly, a stuffed bunny rabbit that he gave her many years ago when she had the chicken pox.

Walking from the room he shut the door behind him, the worry never left his conscience. Going into his own room he didn't waste anytime stripping down to his boxers and crawling under the down comforter, laying his head on the pillow. He was out in no time.

A noise in the hallway outside of the room woke Nick up around four. Since becoming a CSI he was more aware of his surroundings and noises. His curiosity got the better of him. He opened the door and walked into the hallway. It was dark not really able to see anything made him that much more aware of his surroundings.

He walked towards the end of the hall towards the bathroom, still not being able to see. He took another step, his foot coming in contact with a solid object. Its made him jump back at the unexpected obstruction. Bending down he touched it, it was warm and the feel of skin made his heart start to race. His hand felt the boney shoulder and collar bone, knowing it could only be one person.

_**A/N: PLease review!! I love reviews it keeps me writing, and come on if I don't get any reviews I'm not motivated to write anymore!!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thanks for the reviews, you guys are the best!!**_

In the darkness he didn't need to see Jolie to know who it was. She was crumpled in the floor as if she was on her way to the bathroom and she just couldn't make it.

"Jolie? Jo honey wake up! Mom! Dad!"

He scooped his unconscience sister up in his arms. He heard a clatter from his parents room, then light comming from their open bedroom door lit the the hallway.

"What? What is it?!"

His mother ran up to him, then seeing Jolie laying limp in his arms

"Bill call 911!!"

She knelt down to Jolie with a look of terror and sadness etched on her face. Nick couldn't help but stare down at his sister, she was breathing but it was shallow.

"Jolie honey please wake up."

Their mother cooed as she moved a peice of hair from her daughters face. Bill could be heard downstairs talking to the 911 dispatcher over the phone. And a few quiet minutes later the sound of sirens sliced through the air and two paramedics ran up the stairs.

"What happened?"

One of the men asked Nick

"I don't know, I found her in the hall like this. She won't wake up."

They took Jolie from Nick and placed her on a gurney.

"One person can ride to the hospital."

Jillian followed them and climbed up into the ambulance as they hooked Jolie up to an IV and heart monitor. Nick stood out in the front yard until he couldn't see the ambulance anymore, in shock of what happened so quickly. He walked back inside and upstairs to get changed, he was going to meet them at the hospital.

He changed into a pair of jeans, and an old Texas A&M t-shirt. Walking to his parents room he found his dad fully dressed as well, packing a bag

"I'm packing some clothes for your mother. Do you want to get a change of clothes for Jolie? For when she comes home?"

"Yeah, I will."

He said quietly walking from the room and, knowing from past experiances and cases, that Jolie might be there for a while. Or she may surprise them and come home tomorrow. Nick went into her room and turned on the light. Her walls were now a light lavender with her name painted in black cursive lettering on the wall, and she did it herself. Nick found a black duffle bag in her closet and pulled it out. T-shirts and jeans were hung neatly inside as well so it wasn't hard finding her some clothes. Before he left her room he saw Sly laying halfway on the bed, picking it up he sat the tattered bunny inside the bag.

He walked downstairs, his dad waiting with the car keys in hand. They didn't say a word to eachother as they went and got in the car and drove to the hospital. Nick couldn't help but thinking he could have stopped this from happening.

They walked inside the hospital and Nick walked up to the reception desk

"Could you tell me where Jolie Stokes is?"

"And you are?"

"Her brother, and this is our father beside me."

He motioned to the man beside him who had remained quiet since the ordeal. The lady tapped on the keyboard and then looked back up at Nick.

"She is on the fourth floor, room 327."

"Thankyou"

Nick and his father made their way to her hospital room. They found Jillian sitting in a chair beside the bed, Jolie was still out an oxygen line running under her nose and the steady beeping of the heart monitor reminded everybody she was still alive.

"How is she?"

Jillian fell into Bills arms crying.

"They said she's mal-nourished, way under the healthy weight. Its our fault Bill, we should have said something to her."

"Shhhh honey it's alright."

He lead her out to the hallway, not wanting to wake Jolie.

"Bill they said she was mal-nourished, and dehydrated. They think shes anorexic and want to send her to a rehab that specializes in eating disorders."

"Honey we will do whatever it takes to get our baby girl better. Where is this place at?"

"Its an outpatient center on the outskirts of Las Vegas."

Nick sat down in the chair beside the bed, watchig her. He didn't understand why she would do this, why she wouldn't eat and to be honest he was kinda mad at her for putting their parents through this as well. Nick layed his head on the rails of the bed and did something he hadn't sone in a while, he prayed.

"Nick"

He looked up seeing Jolie awake and looking over at him, sleep still lingered in her eyes.

"Hey Hun, how you feelin?"

"Ok. What happened?"

"I found you collapsed in the hallway at the house."

She let out a small groan

"This is all my fault."

"Well I wanna say its not, but I can't, it is your fault Jo!"

"I know ok Nick? I know."

Their parents came back into the room holding hands, a tear still lingered on Jillian's face. She sat next to Jolie on the bed

"How are you feeling sweety?"

"Ok, when can I go home?"

"Well about that, Nick can I speak to you for a minute out in the hall?"

He followed her outside

"Ok they want to send your sister to a rehab in Vegas, its outpatient so it would be like shes at school during the day. And I was wondering, if it wasn't too much trouble, if she could stay with you during that time."

"Of course Mom, I'll do anything!"

"You sure?"

"Yes definatly, I have a guest room at my apartment."

"Thankyou!"

She wrapped her arms around Nick and then walked back into the room. Bill sat on the bed next to Jolie, Nick knew he already told her what was going on by the look on her face. Jillian leaned down and spoke into Bill's ear.

"And you'll be staying with Nick."

"Really?"

"Yeah Jo, one big party!"

"Well when do I leave?"

"Tomorrow, you and Nick will fly back out to Vegas. And Monday morning you will get up at eight, as if you were going to school, and stay at the clinic until six."

"Ok, since I really don't have a choice."

Her mother kissed her

"We just want you to get better sweetheart."

They all sat in the steril hospital room for another few hours. When given the discharge papers Jolie got dressed in the jeans and light blue tanktop Nick had grabbed from her closet. Felt kind of weird her brother picking out clothes for her, but at least he had _some_ fashion sense.

When released Nick pushed her out to the truck in a wheelchair, still to weak to walk all the way out there. Nick sat in the backseat with her on the quiet ride home. But Jolie was, in a way, excited to go to vegas with Nick. She missed the people from the team, who she had met before, exspecialy Greg. She thought he was pretty cute.

Arriving at the house she got out of the car and, with Nick's help, made it up to her bedroom. Her mother came in shortly after and grabbed two suitcases and started filling them with clothes and things Jolie would need while she was gone. But she didn't know what she would have to do at the rehab clinic, which kind of scared her.

"Mom I can do this."

She took the clothes from her mom's hand and put them in the suitcase

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Jillian looked at her daughter once more before she left the room. Jolie took clotes from the closet, folded them and sat them neatly in the suitcase along with the items her mother had already packed. Jolie didn't think of herself as normal, along with her eating disorder she also thought she had undiagnosed OCD. Her room and surroundings were very clean and neat, she couldn't stand for something to be out of place, and she was hoping Nick's apartment was cleaner than last time.

"Hey Jo."

Nick walked in the room and sat down in the rolling chair at her desk

"Whats up Nick"

"Just wanted to come check on you. I'm actually excite your comming home with me."

"Really? Or are you just saying that because Mom told you to be nice?"

"No, honestly I am excited. Come here Jo."

He motioned for her to sit in his lap, something she hadn't done in years. She took the few steps and causiously sat down and layed her head on his shoulder

"I love you Jo, and I want you to get better. I would do anything for you."

"Really?"

She felt the tears start to come on

"Yeah hun I would."

A few tears trickled down her cheeks before she burst out into an all out sob. Nick just sat there and held her, not minding the soaking his shirt was getting. It felt good for Jolie to let her feelings out, agauin something she hadn't done in a while. She finally looked up at Nick.

"Better?"

He asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah. I've got to finish packing. But I have something for you"

She stood up and walked over to her dresser yanking open the top drawer. She always kept her jewlery in there, and she had alot of it. She reached in and pulled out a silver necklace with a silver token hanging on the chain.

"This is a charm I got while in California on the mission trip I took last year. The preist blessed it, its St. Christopher. It'll keep you safe."

She put it around Nick's neck

"Are you sure you want me to have it?"

"Yes, and I have another one for myself."

He smiled and looked at his sister. She was getting old on him she was seventeen, eighteen in a few months. Her long brown hair was layered and her face was beautiful, she could be a model if she wanted. He knew she got a few offers over the summer, but that's not what she wanted to do.

She continued packing as Nick sat in her bedroom talking to her, catching up on things. Nick told her about the team at the lab and what cases that were interesting, she always enjoyed hearing about his work. It was way better than dad rattling on about his job as a judge, it got kinda boring after a while.

"So when does our plane leave?"

"Tomorrow at eight."

"In the morning?"

He laughed "Yes in the morning, I forget how much your not a morning person."

"Yeah yeah Mr. I sleep all day."

"Hey I work all night."

"Excuses excuses."

She laughed throwing a pillow at his head.

_**A:N/ Ok I know, a weird place to end it. But your going to have to read the next chapter!! And don't forget I absolutly love reviews!! PLease Please PLease!! Don't make me beg!!**_


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